Memories
by Lt. Wolfe
Summary: Meet Myron Goldman bduring his years before Vietnam


Memories  
Written by: Lt. Wolfe Category: Adventure  
Rating:PG  
Summary: Myron Goldman before joining the Army.  
Disclamer: All TOD characters are copyright by Tour of Duty.   
The author would like to express special thanks to Mr. Lee Russell for all the technical expertise on the Vietnam era Army.  
  
It was a warm spring day in 1962. Myron Goldman was seventeen and graduating from military Prep school today. The graduation ceremony had just concluded. Myron began to celebrate with his classmates when he noticed his father approaching.  
His father, that was a joke. That man never deserved the title "father" Myron thought. The general had just this very day informed Myron nonchalantly that has mother died from an overdose of sleeping pills 15 months before. Why did the general wait so long to tell Myron? Myron desired to know the answer now. His father's answer was that he didn't want Myron to be hurt. Hell, doesn't he know that it hurts more finding out now? Now this man, the general wants to direct Myron's life.  
"Congratulations, son. Now what are you going to do with your life, Now that you are a man? "  
"Sir," Myron always called his father sir. It was more out of habit then respect. "I want to go to university and become an English lit teacher. "  
"Son, that's not a career for a man, especially a Goldman man. You should go to West Point and be an Army officer. Make your old dad proud."  
Goldman, Sr walked away shaking his head. He knew that Myron was going to do what he wanted to do.  
Myron Goldman applied to and was accepted to university. In an English class in his freshman year Myron met a very attractive young woman named Niccki Raines. She was the most beautiful woman that Myron had seen in a long time. Her hair was blonde down to her shoulders and her eyes were sky blue. Myron needed to ask her Nickki on a date. The next week he saw her in the library, Myron asked her to join him after classes at the campus coffee shop. Nickki agreed. Myron and Nickki were together all through their time at university. The four years pasted.   
In November 1966, after graduation, Myron decided definitely to join the Army instead of waiting to be drafted. The first step after enlisting was to go to Army basic training. Part way through BMT, Pvt. Goldman realized that maybe his father was right. Myron needed to become an officer. Myron explored all possible avenues to achieve that goal, including West Point. "The general" was a medal of honor winner, so getting into West Point would be fairly effortless. The path that Myron chose was to go to OCS (Officer Candidate School).   
  
End part 1.  
***********************************   
  
It was a brisk October day in 1967 as 2Lt. Myron Goldman graduated from OCS at Ft. Benning, Georgia. The last 20 weeks were more strenuous then Myron thought that they would be. The first eight weeks of OCS were a repeat of basic training, only with more stress. Myron remembered that he had never felt so humiliated in his entire life as he did in basic training.  
When the bus arrived at Ft. Jackson, S.C. Myron felt out of place. All around him were long, narrow, drab buildings. People were dressed alike in green uniforms. That is everyone except Myron and the others that had arrived on the bus with him. Someone yelled "Hey rainbow!" Myron later was told that newbies were called 'rainbows' because of all the different colors of their civilian clothes. He heard someone bark out 'hut 2,3,4. Hut 2,3,4.' People were walking in straight lines, all moving on the same foot at the same time. Myron knew that this is not what he wanted. The eight weeks continued with classes in military law, marching, and firing a weapon. Included in basic training were hurried meals and nights not full of sleep. Myron endured.  
Myron was intent on making something of himself that his father would be proud of. The second eight weeks of OCS were infantry AIT with even more stress. The last two weeks of OCS were the hardest yet for Myron. He was assigned as a training officer for an OCS company of underclassmen. This was the first leadership experience for Myron. He knew being an officer would not be easy.   
Myron received orders to depart Ft. Benning and report to Ft. Dix, N.J. He was a part of Co. A, 3rd Bn, 1st Training Brigade. He was now an infantry officer.  
Then he remembered his own humble beginning immediately after college.   
  
It was a warm late summer day in 1966. Myron Goldman was relaxing in his small, meagerly furnished apartment not far from the university. He was devising his future. He graduated a short while ago from the University. Should he spend the summer with Nickki and proceed with his masters degree? At least that way, Myron would be permitted to maintain his S-1 status, and stay out of the draft. He was not enticed to join the Army and to attend West Point, as his father would want him to do. His father, now that was a thought. Martin Goldman was not a devoted father or husband. He didn't deserve the title of father or husband.   
Myron had not seen his father since his graduation from high school in 1962.   
  
Myron was momentarily distracted by a knock on the door. It was Nickki Raines.   
'Hi, Myron.' She walked over and gave Myron a kiss.  
Seeing Nickki made Myron feel better every time. He returned her kiss.  
'I was just thinking about the future and remembering the past. I don't know if I should continue with graduate school and wait to be drafted or join the Army now and get it over. '  
  
Nickki wanted to tell Myron that the reason that she came to see him was that she decided to join the Army. She didn't have to join, but the Army needed nurses to go to Viet Nam. Nickki didn't want to sway Myron's decision, so she decided her news could wait for another time.   
They kissed. 'Myron, you will do what you feel is right for you.'  
  
'I grew up on military bases. The Army is in my blood. No matter how much I have an aversion with it. I think I am resigned to follow in my father's footsteps. If it were his choice, I would go to West Point the same as he did.'  
  
Martin Goldman graduated from West Point in 1936. Shortly after marrying Myra, Myron's mother, Goldman Sr was called to service in Europe during WW II. Myron was born soon after in 1945.  
  
Myron and Nickki fell asleep in each others arms.   
  
Myron couldn't understand why a beautiful, young woman like Nickki would want to serve in a war zone. He recalled her strong will and sense of duty when they were in college was one of the many things he loved about her. He understood.   
  
Myron smiled as he anticipated being with Nickki again. The many months that they have been apart since college graduation seemed like forever to Myron. He knew Nickki felt the same way. After college when he went to Ft. Benning for infantry OCS, Nickki passed the state board of nursing exam and joined the Army. The next step for Nickki was going to Ft. Sam Houston and take a ten day course in how to be an officer. Nickki received her commission as a 2nd LT. Her next assignment before going to Vietnam was Ft. Braig, N.C. There she would work in the post hospital for a few months just to get her indoctrinated into the Army. Nickki and Myron had stayed in contact with each other through the mail and over the telephone. Hell, Myron didn't have any family to speak of, so he would spend time with the woman he loved. They arranged to meet at Ft. Dix and spend their time together before they both were shipped out to Vietnam.  
Myron was completing his move out of the barracks and into the BOQ (Bachelor Officers Quarters). That is where he would live while he was a training officer and on leave. Then he would be on his way to Vietnam. Myron wasn't too thrilled about that idea. At least he would have some time with Nickki. With any luck, they could even be assigned close to each other. He only joined the Army to surpass "the General." All that Myron wanted to think about now was Nickki. Soon they would be in each others arms again.  
  
End part 2.   
*******************************************  
At Ft. Dix, Myron had nearly completed his second ten week cycle with trainees. Now he was ready to spent some leave time with Nickki. A master sergeant approached Myron. He gave Myron the proper hand salute. Myron returned the salute. He had learned that the salute was the customary greeting between officers and enlisted people, as well as between fellow officers.   
'Sir, my friends up at personnel told me that your name just came in on a Vietnam levy.' The MSG seemed to be sympathetic. He genuinely liked Myron, as far as officers went.  
A few days later, Myron was ordered into the personnel office. A company clerk handed him his orders to Vietnam. It was a stack of about two hundred identical mimeographed pages. They notified Myron that:   
Goldman, Myron J. 2nd LT INF. USA, 0122345 is relieved of assignment with Co. A, 3rd Bn, 1st Training Brigade, Ft. Dix N.J. and is assigned to the Oakland Army Base, CA for onward assignment to 90th Replacement Battalion, Tan Son Nhut, RVN.   
POV's (Privately Owned Vehicle) and all firearms are not authorized.  
Thirty days DDALV (days delay as leave) is authorized.  
Report NLT (no later than) 31 Aug 66.  
  
In a few days, Myron would be finished with his training assignment. Nickki would arrive from Ft. Bragg and they would spend their leave time together before he continued to Oakland Army base as ordered.  
A few days pasted, there was a knock on the door. Myron was delighted to see Nickki standing there.   
'Why didn't you tell me when you arrived? I would have met you at the McGuire.'  
"I knew you were busy. I wanted to surprise you."  
After Nickki had entered the BOQ, Myron kissed her lips intimately. Nickki responded.  
"Hi Nik" Myron said as he panted after the huge, long lasting tongue duet.  
"Hi babe." Nickki answered. She also needed to catch her breath after the welcome kiss. "I like what you did with the place, basic military."  
Nickki's observations were legitimate. Myron's BOQ looked exactly like all the other BOQ's in the Army. To the right of the entryway was the living room area. It was furnished with a sofa, TV, chair and an ordinary looking desk in the corner. To the far left of the living room area was the kitchen. It was small with only the basics. In between the living room area and the kitchen was the bedroom area.   
Nickki placed her suitcase on the stand at the foot of the bed. Myron snatched Nickki around her waist, surprising her as he kissed her passionately.  
"Mmmmm, I'll give you 3 months to stop." Niccki uttered as she returned Myron's passion.   
"I only have thirty days." Myron declared with a grin.  
"Myron, my darling, I really need to freshen up a bit. It was a long trip."  
Myron mouthed one word. "Later."   
A trail of discarded clothes covered the floor. Myron and Nickki laid together in a knot of bedding. Dark hair framed Myron's face and partly covered his sexy brown eyes. Nickki yearned for Myron to touch her. Myron began kissing all of the exposed flesh that his lips could find. Nickki responded as Myron sent waves of sensation to her body. Sensations she hadn't felt the entire time that they were apart.  
"Make love to me, Myron." Nickki whispered very softly as Myron bent closer to her. Instead of a kiss, he drew his hand down around her shoulders and arms. Her skin was soft and smooth. Nickki opened herself to him. They both wanted this night to last forever. The two lieutenants fell asleep in each others arms.  
  
End part 3.  
*******************************************  
The next morning, Myron was dressed in his khakis with shot record in hand.   
" I should be back about 3 o'clock. I have to clear the post hospital and suppy to return all the items that I was issued."  
Myron really disliked clearing post. It took several days to complete. It was the worst part of a PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move.  
Nickki was glad that she had completed all out processing at Ft. Bragg.   
Myron arrived at the hospital and entered the immunization clinic.  



End file.
